The Israel Defense Force is attempting to dodge a political firestorm over the issue of whether it must draft up to 26,000 ultra-Orthodox seminary students and is seeking to postpone the decision for as long as possible.

Earlier this week the Israeli High Court ruled that it had no authority to grant the military's request to postpone the conscription of the Haredim, and instead ruled that the Knesset -- or parliament -- had to take up the issue via legislation.

Haredim is a general term used to describe ultra-Orthodox Jews.

On Dec. 9, 1998, a panel of 11 judges headed by Supreme Court President Aharon Barak ruled that the status quo, whereby the defense minister grants deferrals to yeshiva students under administrative regulations, and not by law, was illegal and must stop.

The court gave the government a year to find another solution and take the measures necessary to implement it, warning that yeshiva students would be subject to conscription if the Knesset did not act within that year.

Prime Minister Ehud Barak campaigned for office in support of drafting yeshiva students.

Israel Defense Force officials said the military is hoping to avoid a political battle over the issue of conscription in parliament. Lawmakers are divided on whether the ultra-Orthodox students should be drafted into the nation's military force.

Also, IDF officials said they have neither the resources nor the time needed to draft the students and prepare for their induction into military service before deploying them.

Currently, some Israeli lawmakers are trying to force through legislation that would delay the Haredim's conscription, but ultimately -- if no legislation is forthcoming -- IDF officials said Thursday they would "act according to law, and judge every eligible conscript for defense service, even if he does study in a yeshiva, according to regular criteria," according to Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh.

Israeli sources said yesterday the IDF would have a full year to implement its recruitment program.

Earlier this summer, a panel appointed by Barak came up with several recommendations. Yeshiva students would be allowed to defer army service until age 23, when they would be able to take a year off to decide whether to declare Torah as their trade and stay in yeshiva, or be drafted.

Students who opt to leave yeshiva at age 24 would choose between performing four months of army service at age 26, or serving one year of civilian service at age 24 in a charitable organization or local council within the haredi community.

A third option of serving 24 days a year of guard duty for 10 years would be available to students in yeshivot in designated "security areas."

All options would require students to do reserve duty, the panel said.